Trowels have heretofor been known and are commonly used in working the surface of concrete, freshly laid for floors, driveways or the like. It is advantageous to work a concrete surface with a trowel from afar, such that the weight of the user does not create depressions in the freshly laid surface. Known prior art devices are described and illustrated in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 842,770; 1,021,557; 1,590,342; and 4,397,581.
Each of these known prior devices incorporate elongated handles, and means for connecting one end portion of the handle to a blade used to form a surface on freshly laid concrete or the like. One of these devices, namely the device illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,581, discloses means for adding weight to the blade of the combination groover, trowel, and bull float which is disclosed. These weights are especially designed to be received within channels or grooves carried by the blade. These channels and grooves further serve to reinforce the blade while substantially restricting the flexibility thereof. It will be noted that these channels extend up to the edge of the blade as shown in FIG. 6 of the '581 patent.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved long handled trowel having adjustable weights which do not deleteriously affect the flexibility of the blade proximate its edge portion. In this connection, the flexible blade serves to enhance the smoothness of the surface produced by the device.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such an improved trowel which can be inexpensively manufactured and easily maintained.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a trowel on which adjustable weights can be selectively added to the blade assembly with ease and without the need of removing the handle. These weights are fixed in a horizontal position on the blade assembly to prevent movement during use. Further, the weights are designed such that the mass is equally distributed on opposite sides of the location at which the handle is pivotally connected to the blade assembly.